While studying in Paris in the 1880s, Hassam acquired an appreciation of the French Impressionists’ fresh palette and broken brushstroke. He applied these techniques in his landscapes and city views, including some of Manhattan, where he spent his winters.

In this snowy street scene, a courier trudges past storefronts, carrying documents from one business to another. The subject is unusual for Hassam, who had little interest in depicting the grittier conditions of urban life. Even here he remains primarily concerned with composition and with the evocative weather conditions that veil the street in blue and yellow light.

Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design. “Selection VII”. Providence: Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design,1977.